Happy Valentine's Day, Baby
by ProDLnEC aka NLcsimiamifanatic
Summary: Separate one-shot! What if Horatio and Aimee's third baby decided to be born on Valentine's Day? (ALTER PREGNANCY TIMELINE). I suggest reading A Different Road, Delicate, Life's Important Things (story still in the works) and A Caine Family Christmas for background.
1. Part One

_**Separate one-shot!**__ What if Horatio and Aimee's third baby decided to be born on Valentine's Day? (Altered pregnancy timeline). I suggest reading __**A Different Road**__, __**Delicate, **__**Life's Important Things **__(story still in the works) and __**A Caine Family Christmas**__ for background._

_**Happy Valentine's Day, Baby**_

Aimee knew a few things.

She knew she wanted to have had this baby two weeks ago and that hadn't happened.

She knew as she took a slow deep breath she was definitely having this baby _today_.

Lastly and most of all, as she looked at the clock that read 1:45am, she knew this was definitely not how she—or any woman wanted to spend Valentine's Day. No matter she loved and wanted her baby.

On the drive to the hospital Horatio couldn't stop smiling. Everyone, themselves included, had joked about their third child being born on the day known for romance.

"I guess this is better than being induced," Aimee huffed.

The doctor had told the couple if Aimee's labor didn't start naturally in two more days, that was going to have to happen.

"Yeah," Horatio said, reaching over and squeezing her hand softly. "Maybe this one will decide to be quick."

"Either way, do you have any idea how much chocolate you owe me for doing this _today?_"

Horatio chuckled.

"I suspect, my darling," he said, "much more than I bought for you."

_At the hospital_

"Aw! The Caines are here!" Dr. Bentley said as she entered the labor and delivery suite.

Aimee was enduring another strong contraction. The cheeriness of the other woman made her want to strangle her right now.

"Hey doctor," Horatio replied, rubbing his wife's brow with a cool clothe.

Studying the monitor, the woman smiled.

"I'm going to check you now. Is that okay, Aimee? I have a feeling by this, you two aren't gonna have to wait that long."

Aimee nodded.

Horatio helped his wife lay on her back again.

"Easy, love. You're doing great," He murmured.

The doctor's exam confirmed her words.

"Yep. You're about half way there already, Aimee."

Aimee groaned.

"Only _half_?"

Horatio suppressed a smile that he knew could get him killed. He squeezed his wife's hand. "That's okay, babe. You can do this, all right? I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

And he wasn't, even after their baby entered the world.

_Four Hours Later..._

"_Oh my god. Fuck! _This hurts," Aimee moaned, trying to pant through an intense contraction.

"Okay, Aimee. You're complete. The next contraction I want you to push. This is not gonna take long. I can see the head already," the doctor said.

"I _can't_. This hurts!"

"Sweetheart, look at me," Horatio interjected, taking her face into hands. "You _can!_ You have to push. C'mon," he said, bringing his wife's body up to a sitting position.

Aimee bore down and pushed with all her might, again screaming out in pain feeling more intense burning as the baby's head emerged.

"Good job, Aimee! The head's out. Just give me a second to suction the airway and check for a cord."

The tears of joy Horatio had been holding back now brimmed his blue eyes.

"One more push, Aimee, and this baby's all yours," Aimee heard the woman say.

Horatio softly kissed her temple and whispered for her to push.

Aimee did as she was told and seconds later a wailing, squirming, wet baby was placed on her abdomen. Every sob of happiness Horatio had held in now joined in the sounds of his wife and baby.

Turning the newborn over, the nurse announced "_it's a boy!_"

Still sobbing, Horatio cut his new son's umbilical cord. The newborn's eyes were just as blue as his proud father's, he had a full head of auburn hair. Neither could believe what a whirlwind the past hours had been. After getting to the hospital Aimee's labor had been so quick compared to Faith's birth, the couple completely forgot the date until the nurse mentioned what an incredible Valentine's Day present their son must be for both.

The two couldn't agree more.

Hunter Levi Caine weighed eight pounds, four ounces. He had the same almond-shaped piercing blue eyes as his dad and siblings

"He looks like Kyle," Aimee said to her husband.

The three were left alone together as the sun started to rise at six a.m.. Horatio sat next to his wife on the bed, their newborn son sleeping in her arms. The family would go home later that afternoon. They both knew Aimee would need to take it easy for a few days to recover from the intense and quick delivery; but she would get more rest at home. Horatio wasn't going to let her do a thing except cuddle their baby and introduce him to his siblings, grandparents and uncle. He almost forgot to call the lab to say he would be in today and for the next three weeks and why. Having joked about it so much in the last few weeks, everyone found it hilarious that the baby was born today of all days. Both Alexx and Calleigh thought Aimee being in labor for just a few hours was probably Baby Hunter making up for the extra two weeks he was in the womb. He was born in less than ten minutes, there was barely enough time to get the room set up.

"Did H tell ya'll a name?" Calleigh asked.

Another text followed Horatio's first message, this one with the baby's picture and his name.

_Hunter Levi Caine_

_ 8lbs 4 ounces._

True to form when the three arrived home, she didn't have to lift a finger or even change diapers for now. She and Horatio contained their shock at Faith's reception to the new baby; This was much better than they had expected. They had prepared themselves for an epic "I don't want him! Take him _back!_" meltdown. She gave Hunter kisses but didn't want to hold him yet. Her parents didn't force it Faith returned to playing with her toys and eating the chocolates that her parents, grandparents and uncle gave her after she greeted mommy with huge hugs and kisses.

Meeting his new brother was more important so Kyle stayed home from school today. He, on the other hand, couldn't get enough of holding his little brother. Between him and the rest of the family this gave the new mother a chance to eat lunch. A dozen roses accompanied by a box of chocolates, to go with the ones Horatio had already bought for her arrived when she was eating. An envelope with her name on it—in her husband's handwriting was next to it. Aimee decided to eat before opening it. She knew whetever her husband had written in the card would make her cry.

And she was right. She felt guilty about not being able to buy him anything for Valentine's what he had written on the inside of the card washed that away. Inside the blank card with a heart-shaped box on the front Horatio had written:

_Sweetheart,_

_You have given me more happiness since the day we met than I could ever describe. You've given Kyle the mom he prayed for every night and me, the companion, friend and lover I didn't believe existed. You gave both he and I the THREE most beautiful additions to our family—Faith, Hunter and __YOU__. I was astounded to hear you say you were sorry you didn't get anything for today. _

_You gave our family the gift of another precious child. There's no greater gift than that._

_I Love You._

_H_

_xoxxx_

Horatio had obviously filled out the card at the hospital. Maybe when she was in the bathroom getting dressed. She had made the gift statement before they got ready to leave the hospital with Hunter. Horatio may have been a man of few words but when he did, the words spoke volumes.

**_END OF PART ONE_**

**_to be continued..._**


	2. Parts Two & Three

_**Part Two**_

In the living room, Kyle had finally tired of holding his little brother. The grandparents and uncle had left to give the family privacy. Horatio told him it was all right to go play, he didn't have to stay around the baby. Kyle decided to go build something out of his Legos. Horatio enjoyed the alone time with his new child.

_Hunter seemingly recognized his father's voice the moment he was born. This wouldn't surprise anyone. Horatio had talked to him enough in the womb for the baby boy to know his daddy's voice. The sound of Horatio's voice seemed to make the newborn stop crying right after his birth. So much so, that the nurse asked him to be quiet for a few minutes so the baby would cry and kick-start his lungs. Horatio had just nodded and smiled, wiping stray tears from his cheeks. _

"You're so cute," he whispered to the tiny boy in his arms, leaning back on the couch.

The newborn cooed.

Horatio smiled. "Yeah. Daddy loves you. Mommy and I didn't expect to meet you today. You gave us quite a surprise. The doctor said we were supposed to meet you earlier but I guess you had your own plans, huh?"

Bright blue eyes stared up at him and seemingly in reply, two tiny fists covered in mittens came near his face and Horatio laughed. His wife walked into the room. She joined him on the sofa and kissed the side of his head.

"I read your card," she said.

"I meant every word," he whispered to softly, turning his head and kissing her. "I love you, Aimee."

"I love you, too."

Aimee needed to sleep more than she first thought. She went upstairs to lay down for what she planned would be an hour, knowing her husband was capable of caring for the kids. She fell asleep and didn't wake up for three hours. Kyle and Faith were eating an early dinner— homemade pizza bites, courtesy of Kyle's former babysitter, their neighbor, Eileen. She had sent over sausage and mashed potatoes for the grown-ups. Hunter was sound asleep in the bassinet they kept in the downstairs living room. Mis-communication between family and friends had led to two bassinets being given to the couple prior to Faith's birth. They had briefly thought about selling one but then realized the advantage of having one for both floors of the house.

Faith proudly announced to her mom that she had held baby brother and daddy had taken a picture of it.

"Good for you, sweetie," Aimee told her.

Her parents were also slightly worried about how Faith would react to mom cuddling baby Hunter for more than a few minutes. That was all the toddler had so far seen the three had returned home. Surprising her parents again, Faith didn't appear to mind. Her little brain already seemed to calculate that "Kyle was big. Hunter was tiny. But she was mommy and daddy's only girl" and that made her special. But following the rule of never knowing what a child is going to say, while Aimee was holding Hunter, Faith asked her why mommy had to go to the hospital to have her baby brother. When her mom explained simply that the hospital was where mommies went to have babies, Faith accepted the explanation.

_Thank god, _her mother thought_._

Despite having "done it all" before with Faith, cuddling baby Hunter stared emotions in his mom that had nothing to do with post-birth hormones. The sweetness of a new baby never got old, no matter how many children one had. This time around Aimee might have had to get a stitch or two but Hunter was worth that and more.

_**Part Three**_

_"Bubby" baths and "wittle" aren't typos._

Horatio opened his eyes in the morning to the sounds of his wife and children. Kyle and Faith were eating breakfast and talking about the latest movie they had seen with their grandparents, _The Smurfs 2_. When he got downstairs he saw his wife holding Hunter, their little Valentine's Day gift. He kissed her and the baby. The older two children so absorbed in their conversation that dad's morning greeting went unheard and unanswered. Hunter had slept straight through from one in the morning when Horatio had changed his diaper and fed him until seven. He was presently enjoying his breakfast, too. Kyle wasn't excited about having to go to school today and was slow getting ready. Horatio told him he had to hurry up. Him being late for school wasn't good. Realizing he wasn't going to get his way and have another day off from school Kyle went to brush his teeth and put on his shoes.

"I gets my bubby bath, now?" Faith asked her mom when she finished eating.

In the rush of events in the past two days Faith hadn't had a bath.

"When daddy comes back, okay?" Aimee said as she burped Hunter.

Bubble baths were next to ice cream and Oreos on Faith's list of favorite things. She didn't care whether it was mom or dad who was there for that. Horatio was adamant that his wife start to heal from giving birth before going back to lifting and caring for their toddler. And if he was there to help she didn't have an excuse.

"Otay. Did Hunter get a bubby bath at the 'ospital? Faith asked.

Aimee laughed at her child's curiosity.

"He's too little for bubble baths, honey."

"Too wittle for bubby baths?" Faith asked, looking nothing short of horrified, making her mom laugh more.

"Yes. He's a little baby, he has to take bathes in a little tub that's too small for bubble baths."

Horatio knew he was looked at funny for having three such young children at his age.

And he didn't care.

He was even more keenly aware of the looks he got for having a younger wife. The latter were looks of envy, however. The looks in Aimee's direction seemed more like "what does she see in _him_?" Anyone who saw Horatio with his children could never doubt he was a doting and playful dad. Friends knew how involved he was with _three_ of his children, even if the youngest wasn't quite two days old. Calleigh called his phone on the way home. She and Eric wanted to visit after work to meet Hunter before going home to their two and a half year-old daughters Anya and Carly.

"Absolutely. He should be awake. He slept most of the night last night."

Hunter's parents planned to ask the Delkos to be Hunter's godparents, as they were Kyle and Faith's godparents as well. Andy loved Aimee's children but he had always been honest that he wouldn't be the right guardian for any child because running his company took up so much energy and time. He thought that Eric and Calleigh were the ideal ones for the role and if it somehow came down to that horrendous day, they would never exclude him and his parents from the children's lives. Andy was quietly glad that he had not been asked to be either child's godfather. He would have had to politely decline, a tough task in a family of only two siblings.

* * *

Hunter Levi Caine caused Calleigh Delko's heart to turn to mush. Saying "yes" to being his godparents was a decision they didn't have to think about for more than five seconds.

Of course they would.

Anya and Carly would be three in a few weeks and holding a sweet-smelling, cuddly newborn like Hunter made her and Eric both think they had to have further discussion on expanding their family. Now that the girls were sleeping through the night in their own beds and (mostly) potty-trained, having another baby didn't sound crazy like it had two years ago. Yes, Aimee were a stay-at-home mom while Calleigh still worked part-time but it was still possible for her and Eric to raise three happy, well-adjusted kids.

"What's your bet that they're going to go home and _discuss_ Delko number three?" Aimee asked her husband after the couple headed out of the door.

"I think _discussions _will be short and the second phase will begin quite soon," Horatio chuckled.


End file.
